ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · prune · trunk · mate · fan · current · rash · cap

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cap — a hat
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. mate — a partner
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — a series
  11. cap — of ice
  12. prune — to trim
  13. current — electric
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. current — happening now
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. suit — to fit
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. mate — a friend
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. current — of water
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com